Tree of Mana
by Aleria leif
Summary: When a small group sets out the save the Kharlan tree they didn't expect the any of this. AU


This is my first story so please go easy on me. Suggestions are welcome but please review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! If I did Kratos would be in the second one.

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A small trio headed towards the small town of Ozette. Their mission: peace among the nations. They had set out towards their goal about two years ago, when the war between the nations hit its peak. Looking back they had come far and gone nowhere at the same time. The leader of their small group was a woman with long green hair who went by the name of Martel. She wore a white dress with green lining and carried a large white healer's staff. Next to her was her younger brother, mythos, he was a small blonde haired boy who looked to be about seven years old. He wore an all-white outfit that had long since been stained and torn beyond repair and carried no weapon. At the back of their group was a blue haired man named Yuan. He had long blue hair that was pulled back in a ponytail and wore black armor with and blue cape over it. He carried a strange double edged blade and was a master spell caster. He had learn while severing in the Sylvarant army, even though he had long since abandon the army when he had learned that neither side had any plans to save the dying Kharlan tree.

Martel had become the leader shortly after they had set out. It wasn't that she wanted the job but rather that the two men followed her without question. After all, it was her idea to stop the war. Her idea to seek peace and her spirit that kept them going. However her small group was doubting her judgment as she lead them to Ozette. Ozette was known to be a very closed off and unfriendly place. New humans weren't welcome there much less half-elfs. Which was exactly was she and the rest of her group were. Never the less she felt that she had to go to Ozette as they had a large population of blacksmiths that supported the war effort.

She huffed as her brother whined about being hungry then tired and then bored. "Mithos! That's enough!" she hissed marching forward. "We're not stopping until we reach Ozette."

"But sis!" the boy argued "We've been walking all day! Can't we take a short break?" he pleaded.

"We stopped fifteen minutes ago now be quite."

Mithos huffed realizing he wasn't going to win and kept walking.

Yuan smiled at the young boy antics as he observed the forest around them. It was shrouded in fog that made the mind wonder what was hiding. The forest was so deep that you could get lost while standing on the path. The people of Ozette were the only ones brave enough to inhabit the oversized forest and he understood why. Monsters could come out of nowhere, and the fog made it impossible to see anything. He sighed he would have rather avoid the forest all together but Martel insisted.

He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts by a sound off to the side of him. He quickly drew his double edged blade and stood ready to fight, when a wounded human stumbled out from behind a tree. Martel, being a healer by nature, gasped and ran to his side.

"Oh my goodness! He is hurt pretty badly!" she gasped as she began casting a healing spell. Yuan watched wearily as the energy flowed into the human's body and the wound closed. Martel fed him a couple gels then insisted they rest there for the night. Mithos happily plopped down on the ground without a word just happy they were stopping.

The human Yuan observed had short red hair that stuck up in all directions he was wearing some dark blue leather armor that was now ruined and carried a sword and shield; however, both were rather old and needed to be replaced. Yuan walked over and carefully removed the weapons from him and set them aside just in case he wasn't friendly. He wasn't found of the human's presence but knew there was no talking Martel out of something once she had set her mind to it.

They stayed there overnight and spent most of the morning waiting for the human to wake up. This unfortunately meant waiting until a few hours after lunch for the human to finally open his eyes.

The human glance around the campsite quietly observing the small group. The young boy was finishing up his food while the older man was cleaning up the camp site. The young woman was keeping an eye on the other two for the most part, but the man guessed she was also watching for attackers. 'Such an odd group… they choose to help me despite my appearance… if they allow me to follow them then I might be able to use their help with…' he was broken out of his thoughts when the healer of the group noticed had he woke up.

Martel being the healer of the group gasped and smiled at him. "Good morning!" She cheered walking over to him. Hearing her speak to the human the others quickly looked over. The human, however, did not seem happy with the amount of attention he was getting that and began backing away slowly.

"Hey…calm down we won't hurt you…" Martel said in a calm voice.

Mithos grumbled under his breath not happy about the humans presence.

The human looked at her for a second then stopped moving. 'She seems nice…I'm sure it will be safe to stay here for a short while.'

"There now what's your name?" She asked.

He didn't answer. 'I can't talk…not yet….'

"Um….can you talk?"

He looked confused for a second then nodded. 'Well…I can…sort of…'

"Okay then, will you tell me your name?"

He shook his head.

Yuan huffed "He is just like the rest. He thinks he is better than us,

because he is human." He grumbled.

The humans eyes widen and he shook his head as if to say that wasn't true.

Yuan looked at him "Then tell us your name."

The human looked down and shook his head as if to say he couldn't do that.

Martel glared at Yuan "Be nice…Maybe he doesn't feel like talking or his throat hurts…."

The human nodded at that. 'I'll let them believe that…it will make things easier.

"See…" Martel said.

"Yeah sure but which is it?"

"Oh um…nod if you don't feel like talking and shake your head if to hurts to speak."

He shook his head

"See now be nice Yuan."

The blue haired half-elf sighed, but obeyed Martel.

"We're headed to Ozette. You're welcome to come along." She said with a smile.

The human nodded. 'Ozette is not the best place for me to go but I do want to know what they're going to do there.'

Martel smiled "That's great now what are we going to call you….." She mumbled quietly.

Yuan smiled "The human sounds fine to me."

"Yuan! That's not nice! I'm sure he has a name."

"That he won't tell us."

"He is hurt and can't talk…"

"It's…..Kratos…."

Martel looked at him "Oh…you can talk…"

"Hurts….but…..doesn't…..mean….can't…." he coughed 'Damn it really does hurt…I knew I might but that….I'm going to have to be careful….'

"R-right….try not to talk then."

The human, Kratos, nodded. 'it's better this way.'

"Okay um we should head Ozette now." Martel said gathering her things.

Kratos stood but didn't have anything to carry.

They slowly walked to the small town of Ozette. They already knew they wouldn't be welcome but nothing prepared them for the "welcome" they received. The humans there shunned them completely, even Kratos who was human himself. Martel felt the anger and malice; she looked down it was her idea to come here so it was her fault they were being treated like this. She quietly led them to the inn.

Once they got there Martel walked to the counter and asked for three rooms. "One for each of your companions?" the inn keeper asked.

"No, my brother and I will share a room."

"Oh, then two?"

"No…there are four of us…"

"Then you're with him…"

"Well yes…"

"Then no rooms are available half-elfs I can handle but…" The inn keeper grumbled walking off.

Martel sighed "Well then I guess we'll talk to the towns people…maybe someone will take us in for the night." She said walking out.

"Or we could ditch Kratos…." Mithos muttered.

Martel glared. "Or not we are trying to create peace and leaving behind someone in need is not the way to go about this.

It took them a few short hours to find a young woman, by the name of Arissari, on the out skirts of town who would take them in for the night. Martel thanked her as she showed them inside. "I've heard of you and your group." She explained "I want to help you achieve peace in any way I can."

"Thank you. You have helped us more then you know." Martel said.

"It's my pleasure. I can't imagine anyone else would take you in." The girl said letting them in.

"Why is that?" Martel asked. "I'm use to not being taken in on the grounds of being a half-elf, but the innkeeper would have taken us in if not for Kratos."

"That's because she needs the business half-elfs are not treated any better here then what your use to."

"That doesn't explain why Kratos was the problem…."

"I'm not very clear on that myself. I have seen him before, but I never knew his name. He lives around here I think…or well in the woods. The towns people don't like him because wherever he is from its deeper in the forest then any of us would go or that's what I've been told…"

Martel eyed the human who looked away from her. "I didn't know that…we just found him in the forest injured." She said

"Hmm….well I can't tell you much about him….'

"I see…" Martel mumbled it made her wonder about him but still he needed help.

Kratos sighed. 'She doesn't know anything about me….that is good…but then again none of the villager's know much about me either.

"They said you live deeper in the forest…Kratos is that true?"

He nodded.

"I see…We can help you get home…?"

He shook his head. 'I can't get home…not anymore…'

"I see…I'm very sorry…."

Yuan listened with interest but didn't speak as he saw little point.

"Well then, you are more than welcome to come with us."

"SIS!" Mithos protested.

"Mithos…how can we hope to achieve peace if we cannot accept those around us? After all, Kratos seems more than willing to accept that we are half-elfs and treat us with respect, I don't see why we can't return the favor."

"Fine…but I don't like it…" He mumbled.

"You don't have to. Then, it's settled. You can travel with us as long as you would like."

Kratos nodded and smiled.

The rest of the night was very peaceful, and the group woke the next morning so Martel could give her speech. Mithos being the youngest was the hardest to get out of bed and always wanted just a little more sleep, however as that was not an option at this time they dragged him out of bed and headed out to the streets. However it quickly became apparent no one would listen but still Martel had to try.

"People of Ozette! Please open your hearts and hear what I have to say. This war had gone on far too long, the hatred of the hearts of men has claimed too many lives! We must stand against this and learn to love and tolerate those who are different. We cannot continue to divide people by race or lifestyles. This idea that one man is better than the next must end! We must stand against the discrimination and proclaim that we will not stand for this!" she said hoping to reach anyone in the town, however, she speech fell on deaf ears as no one bothered to stop and listen. It was a soul crushing blow never had she failed to reach a single person. "Come on guys…let's get out of here…" she mumbled "Sorry for wasting time…"

The walk out of the forest was almost painful, no one spoke a word. Yuan and Mithos were saddened by Martel's pain, she had never failed or been depressed before. "I guess I was just deceiving myself…" she mumbled "Maybe I can't make a difference…"

Yuan looked down "Martel don't give you have made a difference…"

Kratos listened 'I wish I could help…but I can't say…..' he thought.

"I failed…" she said.

"No you haven't one town wouldn't listen but we knew that might happen. Ozette is jaded." Mithos offered.

"Martel…try not to get too stressed out over one town. As Arissari said you have made a big difference. People seem to look up to you and I am starting to understand why." Yuan said to cheer her up

Martel looked at him and smiled. "Thank you Yuan. I needed to hear that."

He nodded "Let's get back to triet…"

Martel nodded "Sounds good. I mean we need to check on the latest developments in the war and decide where we are going next. However we will need to stop before then…We need supplies and Kratos needs armor."

"Oh right…"

"There is a small half-elf encampment not far from here." Martel noted

"That should work. We also need some apple gels" Yuan said.

"Then it's settled we'll go there." Martel said and took the lead.

An hour of walking later they came up on a tiny camp. Everyone was housed in small tents and they were all armed indicating they were part of an army or an resistance. Despite that they welcomed the small group, human and all. Martel led them at a shop. The owner came over "May I help you?"

"Yes I need ten apple gels and eight orange gels and some armor for my friend."

"Alright I'll get those supplies for you and take his measurements. It will be about a day before its ready unless I happen to have something in his size but…."

"I understand you don't make armor for humans very often."

The man nodded and hand her the things she asked for and then disappeared to get the tools he need. He reappeared only a moment later and quickly measured him. "I'll be back in a moment I may have something…." Martel happily as the man came back with a set of purple armor. "This should fit him I am surprised I had it to be honest. Sorry about the color but…"

"It…is…fine." Kratos said "I…..do not…..mind the….color."

The man nodded and told Martel the total.

She paid the price then led them to a tent where they could rest for the night.


End file.
